Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-03

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

 

The diagram below shows how a biofuel called ethanol is produced.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 4.0)

The diagram illustrates the production of ethanol which is followed by several steps.

overall, it can be seen that this is a natural process, begins from farmland ,that is done by harvesting trees. However, some chemical processes are involved as well.

First and foremost, The tress and plants, that were grown by farmers being harvested from lands. then takes them

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

The response identifies the topic as ethanol production and recognises that the process includes natural and chemical elements. However, it does not provide a usable summary of the diagram: most stages are omitted, and the description stops mid-sentence at “then takes them”. It also misrepresents the opening, saying the process “begins from farmland” and that harvesting trees is the starting point, whereas the diagram begins with sunlight and carbon dioxide supporting plant growth. The circular cycle, conversion through cellulose and sugars, addition of microbes, transport uses, and carbon dioxide returning to plants are not reported. The response is also well below the required 150 words. To improve, give a clear overview and describe the main stages in sequence, including the cycle’s return to plant growth.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

There is a basic attempt to organise the response, with an opening statement, an overview beginning “overall”, and a first detail introduced by “First and foremost”. These signals show an intention to move from general information to stages. However, the progression is not sustained: the response ends abruptly with “then takes them”, so the reader cannot follow the process beyond harvesting. The relationship between the overview and the detail is also unclear, and the contrast signalled by “However” is not developed. Use separate paragraphs for the overview and the process stages, then connect each stage with clear sequencing language such as “next”, “after this” and “finally”. Complete each sentence and cover the full cycle so the organisation forms a coherent account.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The response uses a small set of relevant terms, including “production”, “ethanol”, “chemical processes” and “harvesting”, so the general subject is recognisable. However, the vocabulary is limited for describing this process, and some choices are imprecise: “farmland” does not accurately describe the diagram’s plant-growth stage, while “chemical processes” is too general to identify the conversions shown. “Tress” is also a spelling error for “trees”. The unfinished phrase “then takes them” leaves the intended action unclear. Build a more specific process vocabulary from the diagram, including terms such as “pre-processing”, “cellulose”, “sugars”, “microbes” and “carbon dioxide”, and use precise verbs to explain how materials change at each stage.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

The response attempts both a simple opening sentence and a more complex overview, but control of sentence structure is weak. In “overall, it can be seen that this is a natural process, begins from farmland”, the clause after “process” lacks a subject, and the comma does not correctly join the ideas. The sentence “The tress and plants, that were grown by farmers being harvested from lands” is also incomplete: it has no main finite verb, and the relative clause is not correctly integrated. The final fragment, “then takes them”, has no clear subject and is unfinished. Capitalisation after full stops is inconsistent, as in “then”. Practise complete subject–verb clauses and accurate sentence boundaries before attempting longer complex sentences.

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